The Boro Park Jewish Community Council (BPJCC) Opens New Community Center Made Possible By Metropolitan Commercial Bank

Brooklyn, NY—The Boro Park Jewish Community Council (BPJCC) is thrilled to announce the launch of it’s new Community Center at 5102 13th Avenue, marking a monumental occasion for Boro Park’s growing and vibrant neighborhood.

The center is already bustling with activity, having hosted nearly 100 participants Tuesday, July 15, at the second workforce classon premises as the BPJCC prepares to roll out an expanded array of programs that promise to further benefit, uplift and unite the community.

This extraordinary new facility, made possible by the generous donation of a spacious, ground-level walk-in site from Metropolitan Commercial Bank (MCB), stands as a testament to the Bank’s deep-rooted commitment to Boro Park. This generous donation, one of the most significant in recent Boro Park memory and has already sparked immense appreciation among residents.

The BPJCC, a cornerstone of the Boro Park community for decades, has long provided critical services including career assistance, SNAP, Medicaid, Medicare, SSI, senior, parenting courses and Holocaust survivor programs from its present location at 1310 46th Street. Now, thanks to MCB’s remarkable generosity, the organization has a second, spacious headquarters in the heart of Boro Park, made available under a generous 10-year, rent-free lease for a considerable portion of MCB’s property. This act of giving is part of MCB’s “Committed to Boro Park” campaign, launched in November 2023 when the Bank opened its stunning new Boro Park Banking Center.

“When we purchased 5102 13th Avenue to create a new and improved banking center for our Boro Park clients, we knew we wouldn’t need the entire building,” said Mark R. DeFazio, Founder, President & CEO of Metropolitan Commercial Bank. “Donating this space to BPJCC—an organization that does so much good—was a natural next step.”

MCB’s donation is nothing short of historic. The adjacent bank, widely admired for its artistic design, has become a standout landmark in Boro Park. The Bank has not only invested in its own creatively designed banking center which boasts incredible artistic décor including a full-color, wall mural of the Western Wall and a monochrome mural of Chassidim dancing but, by providing the BPJCC with rent-free space, MCB has also invested in the future of Boro Park itself. Led by Market Sales Manager Rus Levi, along with a dedicated and outstanding team, the banking center reflects MCB’s strong commitment to both its clients and the broader community.

“We are deeply grateful to Metropolitan Commercial Bank for this extraordinary act of generosity,” said Avi Greenstein, CEO of the Boro Park Jewish Community Council. “A new home in the heart of Boro Park allows us to serve more families, more effectively. MCB’s commitment to our community goes far beyond banking; they are true partners in strengthening Boro Park.”

The new BPJCC Community Center is a masterpiece for the community. It is easily accessible and features high ceilings, a beautiful front-and-center space, and full ADA compliance to ensure all residents, seniors, families, and individuals with disabilities, can access its resources with ease. The center is already alive with activity, and the BPJCC looks forward to hosting workforce development classes, parenting workshops, mentoring sessions, and programs tailored for seniors in the spacious space. The center will also serve as a venue for large neighborhood meetings and events, further fostering community connection.

As Greenstein noted, “Our goal in this space is to expand all our services, create new initiatives, and well beyond that, to include much-needed areas for community gatherings and support. When people come to us for help, it is always offered with the utmost dignity, and that is exactly what this new space provides.”

Boro Park’s gratitude toward Metropolitan Commercial Bank will resonate for decades, marking a new era of historic proportions for this extraordinary neighborhood.

A grand opening is planned for early fall. In the meantime, the center is already proving its value as the community embraces this positive new reality.